View source for Eddie Graham

{{short description|American professional wrestler (1930–1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{hatgrp|{{distinguish|Rip Rogers}}
{{for-multi|the Australian politician|Eddie Graham (politician)|other people|Edward Graham (disambiguation)}}}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name        = Eddie Graham
|birthname   =
|names       = Eddie Gossett<ref name="OWOW">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/eddie-graham/|title=Eddie Graham Profile|access-date=2008-03-23|publisher=Online World Of Wrestling}}</ref><br />Rip Rogers <br />'''Eddie Graham'''
|image       = Eddie Graham.jpg
|spouse      = Lucy Gossett 
|children    = [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]]
|death_cause = Suicide
|height      = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}<ref name="OWOW"/>
|weight      = {{convert|215|lb|kg|abbr=on}}<ref name="OWOW"/>
|real_height =
|birth_name  = Edward F. Gossett
|real_weight =
|birth_date  = {{birth date|1930|1|15}}<ref name="OWOW"/>
|birth_place = [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], U.S.
|death_date  = {{death date and age|1985|1|21|1930|1|15}}
|trainer     = Cowboy Luttrell<ref name="OWOW"/>
|debut       = 1947
|retired     = 1982
|website     =
|death_place = [[Tampa, Florida]], U.S.
}}

'''Edward F. Gossett'''<ref name="OWOW"/> (January 15, 1930 – January 21, 1985),<ref name="OWOW"/> professionally known as '''Eddie Graham''', and '''Rip Rogers''' was an American [[Professional wrestling|professional wrestler]]. He was also the promoter and booker for [[Championship Wrestling from Florida]] and President of the [[National Wrestling Alliance|NWA]] in the 1970s.

== Early life ==
Edward Gossett<ref name="OWOW"/> was born on January 15, 1930, in Dayton, Tennessee, blind in one eye. He lived in a troubled household and sold newspapers and eggs to make a living while in Chattanooga at the age of 12.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Scherberger|first=Tom|date=September 22, 1985|title=THE FINAL BOUT OF WRESTLER EDDIE GRAHAM MISMATCHED--INSIDE THE RING AND OUT, WRESTLER EDDIE GRAHAM COULD HANDLE ANYONE AND ANYTHING OR SO IT SEEMED|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1985-09-22-0330150106-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129074852/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1985-09-22-0330150106-story.html|archive-date=2020-11-29|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=Orlando Sentinel}}</ref> The newspaper provided YMCA gym memberships to newsboys, allowing him to receive physical training.<ref name=":1" />

== Professional wrestling career ==
=== Texas (1947–1958) ===
Gossett started wrestling in 1947 in [[Texas]] at the age of 17 after being trained by Clarence "Cowboy" Luttrall.<ref name=top100>John Molinaro, ''The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time'', (Winding Stair Press: 2002), page 200.</ref><ref name=wwebio/> He was occasionally billed as the brother of [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers]] under the name of '''Rip Rogers'''.<ref name=wwebio/> He lost a loser-leaves-town match to [[Pepper Gomez]] in May 1958 in Texas. While down in Texas many people kept on telling him that he looked like pro wrestler [[Dr. Jerry Graham]] so Eddie called up Jerry and they came up with the idea that they were both brothers and that was when "The Golden Grahams" were born. <ref name=wwebio>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/eddiegraham|title=Eddie Graham bio|publisher=WWE|access-date=2015-06-03}}</ref>

=== Tag team wrestling (1958–1960)===
In June 1958, he changed his ring name, adopting the persona of '''Eddie Graham''', who was billed as the "brother" of [[Dr. Jerry Graham]],  [[Grady Johnson|"Crazy" Luke Graham]] and ([[Superstar Billy Graham]] would later join the group of brothers).<ref name=":0" /> Jerry and Eddie were a very successful [[Heel (professional wrestling)|villainous]] [[tag team]] on the east coast of the [[United States]].<ref name=top100/> They had popular feuds with teams such as [[the Fabulous Kangaroos]], the Bastien Brothers, [[Mark Lewin]] and [[Don Curtis]], and [[Antonino Rocca]] and [[Miguel Pérez (wrestler)|Miguel Pérez]].<ref name=top100/> They held the [[WWWF United States Tag Team Championship|NWA United States Tag Team Championship ''(Northeast version)]] together in [[WWE|Capitol Wrestling]] (the forerunner of [[WWE|World Wrestling Entertainment]]) four times, winning the belts three times in victories over Lewin and Curtis, and once against [[Red Bastien|Red]] and [[Lou Bastien]].<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwf/wwf-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Capitol version) at Wrestling-Titles.com]</ref>

=== Florida and NWA President (1960–1985)===
In the spring of 1960, Eddie left the team and went to the [[National Wrestling Alliance]]'s territory in [[Florida]] to wrestle. While there, in 1966, he had a feud with [[Boris Malenko|Professor Boris Malenko]].<ref name=top100/> Eddie took over booking and promoting for [[Championship Wrestling from Florida]] in 1971. He wrestled in tag team matches with his son, [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]], until 1977, when he retired from the ring due to health problems. Graham returned to the ring a year later. In 1979, he defeated [[Killer Khan]] by pinfall after the referee was knocked out and subsequent interference by [[Mr. Hito]] and [[Kazuo Sakurada]] on Khan's behalf was fought off by his son Mike and [[Ray Stevens (wrestler)|Ray Stevens]]. Graham's last recorded match was against [[Terry Funk]] on March 3, 1982, which was ruled a draw.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=1242&page=4&year=1982&promotion=67|title=Eddie Graham}}</ref>

He was the President of the NWA from 1976 to 1978, thanks in part to [[Gordon Solie]] and [[Dusty Rhodes]]. Graham was absent as NWA President in 1977 and 1978 due to serious health problems he suffered from, and was forced to step down as a result.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.harleyrace.com/programs/kc81778.htm |title=Kansas City Wrestling program, August 17, 1978 |access-date=2007-03-23 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210028/http://www.harleyrace.com/programs/kc81778.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In the fall of 1968, Graham was lacing his boots in the locker room when a 75-lb steel window fell on his head, detaching both of his [[retina]]s and causing him an injury that required three hundred stitches.<ref name=top100/> The [[Florida Legislature]] awarded him $23,000 for the incident. According to [[Jim Wilson (wrestler)|Jim Wilson]] in his book ''Chokehold'', Graham's eyesight was poor because of [[Blading (professional wrestling)|blade jobs]], and because he needed surgery to correct the problem and could not afford the money, he had some wrestlers tamper with the window in order to pass it off as though it was the responsibility of the building. This allegation is disputed by eyewitnesses. Also, "blading" does not cause eye damage according to noted optometrist Dr. Robert W. McCullough and other eye doctors. Due to the injury, Graham was unable to wrestle for fifteen months.<ref name=top100/>

Graham made contributions to a number of charitable causes, as chief of the Florida Boys and Girls Ranch Villa.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Selman|first=Jim|date=1985-01-22|title=Self-inflicted gunshot kills Eddie Graham|url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/personalities/graham_eddie/death.html|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Wrestling-Titles.com|language=en}}</ref> In 1957, Graham, C.P. “Cowboy” Luttrall, and Hillsborough Sheriff Ed Blackburn began efforts to establish the organization. Graham donated funds from every Championship Wrestling from Florida show to the Villa, bringing in a reported $100,000, also donating to high school and college level amateur wrestling events.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Ojst|first=Javier|date=December 22, 2018|title=Eddie and Mike Graham – Triumph and Dark Tragedy|url=https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/eddie-graham-mike-graham/|url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=Pro Wrestling Stories|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026014356/https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/eddie-graham-mike-graham/ |archive-date=2020-10-26 }}</ref>

== Death and legacy ==
Graham remained as the promoter in Florida until January 21, 1985, when he committed suicide by multiple gunshots after a lifelong battle with [[alcoholism]] and depression.<ref name=top100/> It is believed that Graham's participation in a land deal gone wrong, which led to him needing to raise over $500,000 ({{Inflation|US|500000|1985|fmt=eq|r=-3}}), as well as financial and relationship problems (Graham was never married to the mother of his child) contributed to his death.<ref name=":0" /> His son Mike and grandson Stephen committed suicide in similar manners on October 19, 2012, and December 14, 2010, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mooneyham|first=Mike|title=Mike Graham suicide leaves family, friends searching for answers|url=https://www.postandcourier.com/staff/mike_mooneyham/mike-graham-suicide-leaves-family-friends-searching-for-answers/article_0c391ab0-fcd7-5635-81d7-1e88d059690c.html|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Post and Courier|date=10 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref>

He was posthumously inducted into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] on March 29, 2008, by Dusty Rhodes, while his son, [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]], accepted the honor on behalf of his father.<ref name="wwebio" />

== Championships and accomplishments ==
* '''[[WWE|Capitol Wrestling Corporation / World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
** [[WWWF United States Tag Team Championship|NWA United States Tag Team Championship ''(Northeast version)'']] ([[WWWF United States Tag Team Championship#Title history|4 times]]) - with Jerry Graham<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-us-t.html United States Tag Team Title (Capitol/WWWF) At wrestling-titles.com]</ref>
** [[WWE Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] ([[WWE Hall of Fame|Class of 2008]])
* '''[[Championship Wrestling from Florida]]'''
** [[NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version)|NWA Brass Knuckles Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version)#Title history|2 times]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-bk.html NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship]] ([[NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship#Title history|1 time]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html Florida Heavyweight Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Florida Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Mike Graham (wrestler)|Mike Graham]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-t.html Florida Tag Team Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)|NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)#Title history|3 times]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version)|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Florida version)#Title history|2 times]]) - with Don Curtis (1) and Lester Welch (1)<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-t.html NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Florida version) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version)|NWA United States Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version)#Title history|2 times]]) - with Dick Steinborn<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida version) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'']] ([[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version)|7 times]]) - with Ike Eakins (1), Sam Steamboat (3), [[Bob Orton]] (2), and [[Jose Lothario]] (1)<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-nwa-t.html NWA World Tag Team Title (Florida version) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance|Japan Wrestling Association]]'''
** [[All Asia Tag Team Championship]] ([[All Asia Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Killer Karl Kox]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/asia-t.html All Asia Tag Team Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[Jim Crockett Promotions|Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling]] / [[World Championship Wrestling]]'''
** [[NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-Atlantic version)'']] ([[NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Sam Mokuahi, Jr.|Sam Steamboat]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-south-t.html NWA Southern Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic version) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[WCW Hall of Fame]] ([[WCW Hall of Fame#1993|Class of 1993]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/hof.html WCW Hall of Fame Inductees] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[Georgia Championship Wrestling|Mid-South Sports]]'''
** [[NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship]] ([[NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with Mike Graham<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-t.html NWA Georgia Tag Team Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** World Heavyweight Championship ''(Georgia version)'' (1 time)<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-world-h.html World Heavyweight Title (Georgia) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''Midwest Wrestling Association'''
** MWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/oh/mwa/oh-mwa-j.html MWA World Junior Heavyweight Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[National Wrestling Alliance]]'''
** [[NWA Hall of Fame]] ([[NWA Hall of Fame#2006|Class of 2006]])<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/hof.html NWA Hall of Fame Inductees] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[Continental Wrestling Association|NWA Mid-America]]'''
** [[AWA Southern Tag Team Championship|NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-America version)'']] ([[AWA Southern Tag Team Championship#Title history|2 times]]) - with [[Roy Welch]]<ref name=SouthernTag>{{cite book | first1=Royal |last1=Duncan |first2=Gary |last2=Will | title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |location=Waterloo, Ontario |orig-year=2000.|chapter= (Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977] | pages= 185–189| publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2006 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref><ref name=SouthernTagWeb>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-t.html | title=Southern Tag Team Title | work=Wrestling-Titles | access-date=January 19, 2020}}</ref>
** [[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-America version)'']] ([[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Sam Mokuahi, Jr.|Sam Steamboat]]<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/nwa/tn-nwa-t.html NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-America) history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
* '''[[Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum|Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** Class of 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2017/12/07/22769304.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208004048/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2017/12/07/22769304.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2017|title=Oooooh yeaaahhhh! PWHF announces Class of 2018|last=Oliver|first=Greg|date=2017-12-07|access-date=2017-12-07|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]}}</ref>
* '''[[World Class Championship Wrestling|Southwest Sports, Inc.]]'''
** [[WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship|NWA Texas Tag Team Championship]] ([[WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) - with [[Johnny Valentine]]<ref name=ETexTagTitleBook>{{cite book| last1=Will | first1=Gary | first2=Royal | last2= Duncan | title=Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000 | location=Pennsylvania | chapter=Texas: NWA Texas Tag Team Title [Von Erich] | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 | pages=275–276}}</ref><ref name=ETexTagTitle>{{cite web| url = http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/tx-t.html | title = NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]| access-date = December 27, 2019 | work= wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
* '''[[Western States Sports]]'''
** NWA Southwest Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Art Nelson<ref>[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/amarillo/sw-t.html NWA Southwest Tag Team Title history] At wrestling-titles.com</ref>
** [[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version)|NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Amarillo version)'']] ([[NWA World Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version)#Title history|4 times]]) - with Art Nelson (2), [[Dory Funk]] (1) and [[Sam Steamboat]] (1)<ref name=NWATagAmarilloWeb>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/w/nwa/wt-world-t.html | title=National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Titles [W. Texas] | work=Wrestling-Titles | accessdate=February 21, 2017}}</ref>
* '''[[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'''
** [[WWE Hall of Fame]] ([[List of members of the WWE Hall of Fame|Class of 2008]])<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/superstars/eddiegraham/|title = Eddie Graham}}</ref>
* '''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards|Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
** [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame]] ([[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame#1996|Class of 1996]])

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* {{Find a Grave| 25520536}}
* {{wwe superstar}}
* {{professional wrestling profiles}}
* [http://www.wrestling-titles.com/personalities/graham_eddie/death.html ''Tampa Bay Tribune'']

{{Portal|Biography|United States}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|
  before= [[Fritz Von Erich]] |
  title= [[National Wrestling Alliance#Presidents of the NWA|President]] of the [[National Wrestling Alliance]] |
  years= 1976–1978 |
  after= [[Bob Geigel]]}}
{{S-end}}

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{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Mid-America version)}}
{{WCW Hall of Fame}}
{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Eddie}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:1985 suicides]]
[[Category:1985 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
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[[Category:Suicides by firearm in Florida]]
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[[Category:NWA Brass Knuckles Champions (Florida version)]]
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